1. Chapter 26 – Section 4: Two Nations Live on the Edge
vs.

2. Progression of Nuclear Technology
United States detonates H-Bomb in November of 1952
Soviets detonate their H-Bomb in August of 1953
The Nuclear Arms Race now starts
Make as many “bombs” as fast as you can

3. The Policy of Brinksmanship
Eisenhower is POTUS in 1952
John Foster Dulles is his Secretary of State
Felt we could stop the spread of communism by promising use of force
Brinksmanship is being prepared to go to the brink of an all out nuclear war
Schools now practice air-raid drills
People build bomb and fallout shelters

5. Massive Nuclear Retaliation
Ike proposes a “new look” policy of containment
Relies on massive retaliation
We now start testing “bombs” like crazy
Nuclear buildup has economic roots
Nuclear proliferation is cheaper
Other countries get in on the nuclear game
France and Great Britain

7. What is MAD? MAD is mutually assured destruction
If both sides attack with nuclear weapons there will be no victor
Only widespread destruction
Emerges from the ideas of deterrence
If the only option is MAD we won’t use “bombs”
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

9. Nuclear Accidents Abound
In April of 1950 a B-29 crashes with a “bomb”
In March of 1956 a B-27 crashes into the sea with a “bomb”
In 1958 an atomic bomb slips out of a B-47 and crushes a house
Similar event in New Mexico with an H-Bomb
We now begin to question our policies
Are brinksmanship and MAD good ideas?

10. Thinking the Unthinkable
In 1960 Herman Kahn writes Thinking about the Unthinkable
Nuclear war is winnable
We must accept losses of 40 million people
Stock an underground system with elite people
Other groups challenge the testing of “bombs”
Finding elevated radioactivity in babies teeth

11. Eisenhower and the CIA In Iran in 1951 Mossadegh nationalizes oil
Britain stops buying their oil
CIA gives millions to pro-Shah supporters
In Guatemala in 1954 land is redistributed
CIA trains an army and invades
Guatemalan army refuses to defend president

14. The Warsaw Pact and Geneva
Tensions thaw a little after Stalin’s death
Tensions freeze again when West Germany is allowed to rearm
USSR and seven countries form the Warsaw Pact
Eisenhower meets with Soviet leaders at Geneva
He proposes an “open skies” policy
Policy rejected but seen as a step towards peace

15. Israel: Creating a New Nation
Nation of Israel is created from Palestine
Gave Jewish people their holy land
One of the few issues we agree with Soviet Union on
Both saw the horrible tragedies of the Holocaust
Angered Palestinian Arabs and Muslims
Still see this tension today

17. The Suez War In 1955 Egypt wants to dam the Nile
Nasser of Egypt plays both USSR and USA
Dulles pulls our money when he finds out
Nasser nationalizes the canal
Refused to let Israeli ships through
UN gets involved to stop the fighting
Egypt retains control of the Suez Canal

18. Revolt in Hungary! An uprising breaks out in Hungary in 1956
Led by Imre Nagy
The Soviet response is quick and brutal
November 1956
Kill 30,000 Hungarians
What about the Truman Doctrine?
Didn’t apply to ridding communism from satellite states

19. Space: The Final Frontier
Nikita Khrushchev will seize power in USSR
Peaceful coexistence
Soviet Union jumps to an early space lead
Sputnik is launched in October of 1957
United States now throws money at NASA
Launch our first satellite on January 31, 1958
Fund education in math and sciences

21. Cold War Takes to the Skies: The U-2 Incident
“Open skies” policy had been rejected
We fly secret, high altitude missions of USSR
We use the U-2 plane for this
Soviets had been aware of our flights since 1958
Lacked the technology to stop them
Ike wishes to stop the flights
Upcoming summit with Khrushchev

23. Cold War Takes to the Skies: The U-2 Incident
May 1st, 1960 – Gary Francis Powers is shot down
Shot down by a surface to air missile
Parachutes to the ground and is captured
Sentenced to ten years in prison in USSR
Released in prisoner exchange in 18 months
Eisenhower denies that we were spying
Says we were studying the weather
Eventually admits it but refuses to apologize